Physical therapeutic table



March 14, 1950 P. BACI-HN 2,500,508

PHYSICAL THERAPEUTIC TABL l Iii/Kgs March 14, 1950 P. BAcHlN PHYSICALTHERAPEUTIC TABLE origirial Filed April '7, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Original Filed April 7, 1945 5 Shee'ns--Sheeil 5 gfffl. '39% g HP1-5 ZWMMarch 14, 1950 P. BACI-11N PHYSICAL THERAPEUTIC TABLEl original FiledApril 7, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 "thu Peer ,365077 fw INVENTOR.

March 14, 1950 P. BACHIN 2 PHYSICAL THERAPEUTIC TABLE Original FiledApril '7, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Pe fe 7' 07E/days Patented Mar. 14, 1950PHYSICAL THERAPEUTIC TABLE Peter Bachin, Chicago, Ill.

Refiled for abandoned application Serial No. 587,079/2, April 7, 1945.This application June 25, 1946, Serial No. 679,130

2 Claims. (C1. 12S-24.1)

This instant application is a reflle of my application Serial No.587,0791/2, filed April 7, 1945, previously abandoned, and relates toimprovements in physical therapeutic tables.

The main object of the invention is to provide a table of the classdescribed for administering simultaneously or successively heat andmechanical vibration to a human body recumbent on said table andafflicted with chronic or acute diseases as arthritis, rheumatism,circulatory disturbances or suffering from excessive weight.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the class described and ofsimple, enduring and economical construction and low operating cost.

These and other objects willbecome apparentv as the followingdescription is read in which the novelty of construction, combinationand ar'.- rangement is set forth in detail. The description is amplyillustrated in the accompanying.

drawings forming part of the application and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan View of the table after the removal of the boxand legs.

Figure 5 is a detail top plan view of the box.

Figure 6 is an elevation of the left hand (Figs. 1-3) end.

Figure 7 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical detail section on line'l--1 of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail bottom plan view of the detail shown inFigure 7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical detail section on line9--9 of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is an enlarged end View of the fan and motor.

Figure 11 is a wiring diagram of the electric circuits.

Figure 12 is a top plan view of a modified form of my invention.

Figure 13 is a top plan view of the box of the modication after removalof the rest for the patient.

Figure 14 is a vertical longitudinal central section on line I4-I4 ofFigure 12.

Figure 15 is a second modification.

Figure 16 is a wiring diagram of the same.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate like orsimilar parts throughout the several views, the invention is shown asembodied in a substantially rectangular table or support having near itscorners four legs 5 each provided at its lower end with a foot 6 restingon a suitable supporting surface (Figs. 2, 3, 6)

Between .the upper end portions o the legsv is l arranged a boxcomprising a pair of parallel lon` gitudinal boards B and a pair vofparallel transverse boards 9, both standing on edge and supporting attheir lower ends a bottom board i0.

(Figs. 2, 3, 5). Each leg is provided at its upper end with an axialspring socket l2 opening through such end.

A plurality of spaced similar sockets are formed in each of thelongitudinal box-boards and open through the upper edges thereof. Eachsocket provides a seat for the lower portion of a steel A spring I4, theupper end of which is seated in one of a corresponding plurality ofsockets lf-l'.

formed. in a table top I8 having dependingvv longi' tudinal `andtransverse walls 20 the lower ends.

of which are disposed slightly below the top sur`` `face of the legs andtable box and exte'riorly thereto (Figs. 3, 9). Angles 22 are attachedby their upper horizontal legs and fasteners 23. to .Y

the lower face of the table top and also comprise Vertical legs eachprovided at its lower end with v a slot 25 in which a headed screw pin26 slides. .f The inner end of the pin is embedded in or otherf. wisesecured `to the outer side of one of the transverse boards.

The table top supports a couch and is covered l. on its upper surfaceand sides with upholstery l. 28 held in place by a cover 3G of leatheror otherv suitable material fastened by fasteners 3l to the are arrangedin spaced relation adjacent the head rest while the other two extendfrom the foot rest (Fig. 1).

A bearing block 38 is attached by flanges ex- The cap and the bearingblock provide a mounting for the housing frame of a motor M which has ashaft 42 carrying upon one end by meansA of a set screw 43 a fan 45.From the hub of the Alatter extend in diametrically opposite directionsa pair of screws 4l on which weights 48 may be threaded (Figs. 3, 4).Figure 10 shows three weights on the right hand screw and one weight onthe left hand screw to indicate the eccentri loading of the motor shaft..v

The central part 50 of the box bottom l0 be neath the motor is slightlydished and provided with a pair of air openings l. Similar openings areprovided on opposite sides of the dished bottom portion (Fig. 3, 5). Thecentral portions of the longitudinal box boards also have air openings5l (Fig. 2, 5).

The dished part 50 and adjacent flatrparts of the box bottom form thebottom of a chamber for the motor also bounded by a pair oi verticalpartitions 55 preferably of heat insulating ma terial. These partitionsare supported at their lower edges by the box bottom and each alsoseparates the motor chamber from a heat chamber bounded by a partition55 adjacent either transverse end of the table box (Fig. 5)

Each heat chamber communicates with the atmosphere through some of theslots 36 and a large air aperture 51 formed in the box bottom andadapted to be wholly or partially closed by disc 68l of substantiallycircular'shape and including a radial ear whereby the disc is pivotedupon `a screw l!) threaded into the box bottom from the lower Vsidethereof.

The bottom of each heat chamber is covered with heat insulating materialG2 having holes registering with lthe apertures 5l and supporting threeVpairs of' insulators 63. In the leit hand heat' chamber three electricalheating elements or resistors a, b, a are each supported at their endsbya pair of electrical insulators. In the right hand heat chamberresistors c, b, c are supported in a similar manner. The resistors bex'- tend diagonally from the left hand end of one ofthe-:resistors a orc to the right hand end of4 the other resistoria on vc (Fig; 1l) .f

That figure also shows electrical 'circuits for the motor'andv resistorsand including terminals 65, 66 talking the usual form of prongs embeddedin 'ahol'der and adapted for connection to an electric socket. Theseterminals are connected by conductors 61, 68 to conductors t3, 1! theother ends of which connect to the motor M. One or both of theconnections between conductors 6T, 69 and 68, 'l0 are switches (notshown) controlled by a timer T mounted on the control board 16 attachedby fasteners 23 to the outer side of the lower half of the left handtransverse box board 9 (Fig. 3, 6). The timer may be set fory variousperiods at the ends of which it opens the switch or switches.'

From the conductor 10 extend shunts 1|, l2, 73 each' containing amanually operable switch a-`-a, b-b, c-c respectively. Each of theseswitches which control the connections between their respective shuntand conductor l may be manipulated by a button l5 which is also mountedon the control'board T6.

Each shunt 'Il 13 divides into two branches ll connected to a pair ofresistors denoted by the same letter. The resistors a, b, a and c, b, cin the two` heat chambers are also connected by conductors 19 toconductor G9. In the conductor lil is `arheostat including a, variableresistance 3D which may wholly or partially be made a part of thecircuit by the swinging of a contact arm 82'having contact at its outerend with the resistance. In the conductor 1D is also a manually operablemotor switch 84 having a button t5 mounted on the control board.

After the patient has placed himself upon the couch forming the top ofthe table the instrumentalities on the control boardwhich are presumedto bein inoperative position, are manipulated according to the kindof treatment desired.

If it be assumed that the latter is to consist of the administration ofvibrations, the timer is set for the period during which the vibratingtreatment is to continue. 5 The motor switch 84 is closed with therheostat arm 82 disposed at or near the free or dead end of theresistance 80 (Fig. ll). The switches a-c, b-b, c-c, are presumed to beopen and stay open during a purely vibratory treatment. By moving thecontact arm 82 clockwise the speed of the motor may be increased to thedesiredI value. The eccentric load on the motor shaft (Fig. 10) developsa dynamic load or unbalancedcentrifugal force transmitted through thebearing block and cap to the couch which moves up andV do'wn and duringthe latter movement'compressesthesprings I4. During theverticallyreciprocating movement the slotted legs of the angles 22 slideon the pins 26. This vibratory treatment will automatically stop at theend of the period for which the timer has been set.

It the'patient is to receive a heat treatment only the motor switch M isopened and the timer is set ,for the period during which the treatmentis to be administered. Switches a-a, b-b, c-c, or any of them are thenclosed to heat the resistors and the admission of air to the heatchambers is regulated by the discs 5B. Convection` currents of heatedair emerge through all or some oithe slots 36. At the end of the periodfor which the timer is set, the latter interrupts the circuit.

Obviously the patient may also receive vibratory and heatv treatments atthe same time.

Figures .12, 13 and 14 show a modified 4,form ci my invention 'which hasparts also commento the preferred embodiment and indicated bycharact'ers of reference found in both embodiments. These parts aretherefore described by reference tothe description oi the correspondingparts of Figure 1-11.

The slots 36 are arranged transversely of the couch and are not limitedto any specific number. Figure 12`shows four of such slots arrangedadjacent either end of the couch. The space between the two innermostslots of the two sets each numbering four, has four slots each of alength oi about one-third of the length of the 50 longer slots andaligned with a slot extending from. the opposite, longitudinal side ofthe couch.

The inner ends of the pair of short slots extending from one of thelongitudinal sides of the couch are spaced from the inner ends oi the 55short slots extending from the opposite longitudinal side.

To the underside oi the space between the inner ends of the short slotsis secured by ilanges extending from the upper ends oi its sides and 60fasteners 39, the bearing block 38 which carries on its lower side a cap4U. The cap and the bearing block afford a mounting .for a motor M whichincludes a shaft 42 carrying upon one end a ian 45. The motor shaft maybe eccentrically 65 loadedl by means illustrated in Figure l0.

A box 3T of heat insulating material encloses the lower portionoi thebearing block, the cap, motor and ian and rests with its lower walledges upon the central part ol the box bottom Hl.

The box B-IU has four vertical transverse partitions 55' the twoinnermost one of which form withv the intermediate portions of thelongitudinal boards 8 a chamber for the motor and ian and for a pair ofresistors b. The motor and 75 ian are protected by the box 31 from theheat generated by the resistors which extend parallel to thelongitudinal boards 8 of the box. Each insulator is supported at eitherend by an insulator 63.

In either of the chambers bounded by one inner and one outer partition55 is a pair of similar resistors a, a and c, c respectively, arrangedin parallelism to one another and the longitudinal boards 8.

The resistors are connected to one another and a source of current in amanner similar to the arrangement of Figure 11. The motor and theresistors are further controlled by a timer and switches as shown inthat Figure 11, which also shows a rheostat controlling the motor.

Figures 15 and 16 illustrate a second modification which isdistinguished from the heretofore described embodiments by arranging thecontrol means such as timer, motor and resistors, switches and rheostatin a separate control box 2 so that these control means may bemanipulated from the outside of the control box. The same is supportedon a table 3. A conductor cable 4 is cornposed of conductors still to bedescribed and connecting the motor and resistors in the table box to thecontrol means in the control box 2.

In the wiring diagram of Figure 16 conductors 61, 68 are adapted forconnection to a source of current and are also connected to conductorsGS, respectively. One or both of the connections between conductors 61,69 and. 68, 18 are switches (not shown) controlled by a timer T mountedon the outer face of the front wall ci the box 2. rlhe conductor 69 isconnected to one side of the motor, the other side of which is connectedto one end of the conductor 1D. The same is connected to shunts 1l, 12,13 each containing a manualiy operable resistor switch a-a, b-b, cc,respectively. Each switch may be manipulated by a button on the outerside of the front wall of the control box 2. The other end of each shuntis connected to one terminal of a pair of resistors a, a, b, b, c, c,respectively, each pair of resistors preferably administering heat to aparticular part of the body. The other terminals of each pair ofresistors are connected by a branch 19 to the conductor 69.

In the conductor 10 is a rheostat comprising a variable resistance 80which may wholly or partially be made part of the motor circuit by theswinging of the contact arm 82 having contact at its outer end with theresistance.

The inner or pivot end of this arm is connected to the iixed contact ofa motor switch 88 having a button 85 mounted on the front wall of thecontrol box 2. The pivot end of the arm of switch 84 is connected to thereturn conductor 10.

From each conductor 1l, 12, 13 extends a branch conductor 14 containinga lamp Z and connected at the other end to the conductor 89.

The operation of the arrangement of Figure 16 depends on whether thetreatment is to be purely vibratory or purely heat administering or acombination of both. In the case that the treatment is to be purelyvibratory, only the motor switch is closed with the rheostat armpositioned upon the outer end of the resistance 82. Then the rheostatarm is moved towards the inner end of the resistance to the extentdesired.

The switches a, a, b-b, c-c when closed will cause the respective pairof the resistors to administer heat to a particular part of the body.

The closed state of one of the resistor switches is indicated by theburning of the lamp Z in the respective branch 14.

While the foregoing disclosure discloses the preferred embodiment of theinvention in its specific details, 1 desire it to be understood thatthese details are mere examples, not limitations of the invention andthat changes or modifications may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims,

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1. A therapeutic table for administering heat and vibration treatmentscomprising a box p0rtion having side and end walls and a bottom wall,adjustable legs supporting said box portion, a patient supporting,upholstered table top mounted on said box, said table top having spacedapart,

- air circulating slots therein, resilient means interposed between saidtable top and said box, an electric motor having a dynamicallyunbalanced shaft secured to the under side of said table top at oradjacent the center thereof to impart mechanical vibrations thereto,transverse partitions dividing the interior of said box portion into amotor cl'iamber and separate heat chambers, electric heating elements ineach heat chamber, and an electric circuit connecting said motor andsaid heating elements with a source of electrical energy, said circuitincluding manually operated switches controlling said motor and saidheating elements respectively.

2. A therapeutic table for administering heat and vibration treatmentscomprising a box portion having side and end walls and a bottom wall,adjustable legs supporting said box portion, a patient supporting,upholstered table top mounted on said box, said table top having spacedapart, air circulating slots therein, resilient means interposed betweensaid table top and said box, an electric motor having a dynamicallyunbalanced shaft secured to the under side oi said table top at oradjacent the center thereof to impart mechanical vibrations thereto,transverse partitions dividing the interior of said box portion intov amotor chamber and separate heat chambers, electric heating elements ineach heat chamber, an electric circuit connecting said motor and saidheating elements with a source of electrical energy, said circuitincluding manually operated switches controlling said motor and saidheating elements respectively, and a fan on said motor shaft impelling aflow of air through said motor chamber to remove excess heat therefrom.

PETER BACHIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 941,673 Church Nov. 30, 19091,643,399 Wentworth Sept. 27, 1927 1,797,306 Webb Mar. 24, 19312,063,612 Sittler Jan. 19, 1937 2,235,158 Krenzke Mar. 18, 19412,425,655 Tomkins Aug. 12, 1947

